


The Good Old Days

by Earthsbestdefender



Category: Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Bamf Mama Rhodes, College, College is a fun time, Friendship, More tags later, Original Character(s), Rhodey is the best, Rhodey takes care of Tony, back story
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-15
Updated: 2019-03-24
Packaged: 2019-09-18 14:43:45
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,673
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16996953
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Earthsbestdefender/pseuds/Earthsbestdefender
Summary: What was Tony Stark like before the Avengers? What was he like before he was Iron Man? Before the afghan cave? Before being a rich CEO? Before his parents died?





	1. Rhodes, James Rhodes

Tony had already graduated, but he decided he wanted to go back and pick up a few more doctorates. MIT had welcomed him back with open arms. Everyone thought his father had used the family fortune to pay for his education, but he hadn’t. Tony had gotten a full ride scholarship (MIT had made exception to their no scholarship policy) . He never told anyone though… on that note he hadn’t even told anyone who he was, or that he had already been here, not this time around.

Tony was 19, and wanted the real college experience, not the college experience of being a 16 year old in college. He wasn’t going to tell anyone he was Tony Stark. He was going by Tony Collins this time around. This time around he didn’t want special treatment, this time around there would be no private security, and this time around he was going to have fun.

Tony walked down the long hallway to his dorm room, to set up his home for the next year or so. The door was already open when he got there, his roomate must have beat him there. Tony entered the room, and found stacks of boxes. He raised an eyebrow at them. There were quite a few, which told him that told him his roommate was not a light packer. Tony glanced at the large duffel bag on his back and shrugged. He hadn’t brought much. Tony tossed his bag down on the bed on the unoccupied side of the room. He strolled over to the door to see who his mysterious over packing roommate was. James Rhodes. Tony chuckled a little.

“Rhodes. James Rhodes,” Tony couldn’t help saying in a deep gravelly joking tone.

“Ha, Ha, very funny,” Tony jumped and looked up. There was a young black man standing with his arms crossed over his chest, “You know James is a perfectly normal name.”

Tony laughed nervously. He hadn’t meant to be heard.

“Yeah, just making a joke,” Tony raised his hands in guilty omission.

“Mhhmm,” He raised an eyebrow, “You’re just making fun of me because I’m black.”

“WHAT?!” Tony exclaimed, “How was I supposed to even know your were--”

His roommate burst out laughing.

It was Tony’s turn to raise an eyebrow.

“Sorry… You should have seen the look on your face,” James laughed barely regaining his composure, “I just like doing that to people.”

Tony laughed nervously.

“I’m Tony,” He stuck out his hand for James to shake it. James smiled and took it. He had a firm grip.

“Rhodes, James Rhodes,” James smiled cheekily as he said this. This time it was Tony who laughed. He liked this guy.

“Is that all of your stuff? Or is there more in the moving van?” Tony couldn’t help but poke fun at the amount of things his roommate had hauled into the dorm.

“For now, the next truck is on its was,” James winked at Tony. He got the joke.

“I should hope there’s not another truck,” Tony snorted, “Your stuff is already flooding the room.”

“Believe me, this was not my choice,” James said rolling his eyes and picking the small box at his feet, “My mom made me pack most of this stuff. She is always worrying that I will be missing something that I need. Her way of solving that problem is just sending everything with me.”

“I see,” Tony gave his sad lonely bag a quick glance. His parents didn’t even know he was back at school.

"Wait a second... Is that backpack all you brought?" James asked skeptically. It wasn't a small bag, but it was indeed the only thing he had brought.

"Yep, that right there is all I need."

James looked a little doubt.

"Well if you ever need anything else, just ask. I got in here on mainly financial aid, but the bit of money I got is up for sharing."

Tony smiled a little. James thought he didn't have any money, in all fairness it was a fair assumption. Tony didn't actually know if Howard had frozen his bank accounts after he had decided to skip town. Tony smiled a little more. He might have to make a real living instead of mooching off his various bank accounts. The idea exited him.


	2. Unpacking and Small Talk

Tony lay on his bed peacefully staring up at the ceiling. His unpacking had taken him about 10 minutes. James on the other hand was only about half way through his second box.

"So where you from?" James asked, breaking the long silence that had engulfed the room.

"New York," Tony replied, "What about you?"

"Just outside of this city," James said, a fond smile dashed across his face, "You have a lot of family?"

Tony snorted. He hadn't meant to, but it had just slipped out.

"Uh-oh, touchy subject?" James queeried.

"You could say that," Tony said with an eye roll.

 

_ "Anthony Edward Stark! Don't you dare step out that door!" Howard shouted his eyes shooting fire. Tony returned the look with his own blazing glare. He stepped closer to the door. _

_ "What are you going to do  _ Howard?  _ Ground me? I am a grown ass adult! I will leave whenever the hell I want!" Tony spat back. He was tired of dealing with his fathers bullshit. _

_ "Tony... please..." His mother started to speak. _

_ "Let me handle this," Howard said not even glancing at Tony's mother, "Tony if you walk out that-" _

_ Tony ignored his father. _

_ "I love you mom," He opened the door, and turned his gaze to Howard, "Fuck you Howard." _

_ He slammed the door behind him. _

 

"You good man?" James asked bringing Tony back to the present.

"Yeah, I'm good, just spaced out for a second," Tony confirmed, "So what's your family like?"

"Me and mom mostly, but I also have a shit ton of cousins."

"Nice," Tony wished it had just been him and his mom.

"Aw sweet!" James exclaimed happily, as he opened a tin, "My mom sent cookies!"

Tony sat up in bed. He liked the idea of eating cookies.

"Here have one," James handed Tony the tin of cookies.

"Thanks man!" Tony gladly accepted the gift. Tony bit into the small circle of deliciousness. Tony almost choked, the cookie was so good. James let out a laugh, which said all to clearly that Tony's enjoyment was plastered all over his face.

"Isn't that just the best cookie you have ever eaten?"

Tony nodded. It was indeed the best cookie he had ever eaten.


	3. Hot Pepper

An extremely loud beep sounded through the dorm room and yanked Tony out of his deep sleep.

"Damn it... the fuck..?" Tony groaned and pulled his pillow over his head. The pillow only slightly muffled the obnoxious beeping, "Fucking hell James would you turn that thing off!"

"Yeah... gimme a sec..." His roomate mumbled drowsily.

"Fuck man! I am trying to sleep!" Tony cried angrily. 

"Yeah, yeah, on it, sorry!" His roomate babbled, and the blaring alarm cut out.

"Thank you," Tony grumbled and closed his eyes again hoping sleep would take him back.

"When's your first class?" James asked.

"Ugh," Tony groaned. He didn't feel like checking. He wanted to keep sleeping. There was a rustle of papers next to Tony's head, "What are you doing?"

"Looking at your schedule because one of has to care about school," His roomate explained, "Oh, your first class starts in 15 minutes."

Tony was awake in a second.

"What?!" He sat bolt upright.

"Yep."

A shirt hit him in the face.

"The hell?" Tony pulled the shirt off his face.

"Put on some clothes on, come on you gotta get to class," James said a little to energetically. Tony squinted at him, somehow he was already completely dressed. How had he gotten up that fast? "Come on! Chop chop! get dressed."

Tony stared down at the shirt in his hands. 

"Black Sabbath?" Tony questioned. Why had James tossed him this t-shirt? He didn't even own a Black Sabbath t-shirt.  

"Dude it doesn't matter! Just put some clothes on!" James ordered a little bit more authoritatively than Tony had expected from him. 

"Okay okay..." Tony grumbled and pulled the shirt on over his head, "This is a nice shirt..."

The shirt was incredibly soft. If his roommate thought he was getting this shirt back he was wrong.

Tony hauled himself out of bed and and grabbed his backpack.

"See? I'm ready just like that," Tony said pulling on a sock.

"Yeah definitely," James snorted obviously trying not to laugh.

"What?" Tony demanded pulling on his other sock.

"Nothing. I am just curious as to what people will think of your boxers."

Tony stared down at his legs.

"Agh! Damn it!" Tony cried cried in dismay, and grabbed the closest pair of shorts he could find, "You were going to let me walk out of here in my underwear weren't you?"

"Damn straight, and I was going to enjoy every second of it."

Tony just rolled his eyes as he pulled on his shorts.

"That is so rude. If you had forgotten pants I would have told you."

James raised an eyebrow, "Sure you would have."

Tony let out a snort of amusement.

"No, you're right. I would have let you walk around like that for a while."

"Okay. Good. Now that we are both being honest we can get down to business," James said with a malicious smile and opened the door, Tony followed him out of the room, "Next time we don't warn each other."

"That's horrible," Tony laughed.

"No here me out!" James did a little excited hop as they walked down the hallway, "We keep a tally of how many times each of us does something stupid like that, and at the end of the year the person with the most embarrassing acts has to do the ultimate embarrassing walk of shame, and the winner gets to decide what that is."

Tony had a feeling that if he agreed to this he would be doing a walk of shame, but on the off chance that he won... He had a few ideas.

"Okay, deal," Tony agreed. 

"Oh, wait!" Rhodey spoke up as they walked outside, "No full nude walks of shame."

"Why not? That would be the best walk of shame ever."

"No! It would be illegal, and I don't think either of us have the money to pay bail. Plus I would like to be able to come back next year," Rhodey cried.

"Okay fine," Tony was so busy laughing that he didn't see the person walking toward them on the sidewalk. He walked straight into her and they both went down. 

"Tony Collins One. James Rhodes Zero," Tony heard his roomate laugh as he and the young woman pulled themselves to their feet. 

"Here, let me help you with that," Tony offered and bent down to help her pick up her papers.

"I got it," she snapped and yanked the paper out of his hand, "Why don't you just go back to pre school, and learn how to walk down the damn sidewalk."

Her curt angry response would have surprised him and maybe even stung a little if he hadn't become entranced by her beautiful green eyes, soft lightly freckled cheeks, and dancing strawberry blond hair.

"Uh... yeah... I'll do that," Tony mumbled absent mindedly.

"Good," She said with a fake smile and shoved her way past him. Apparently he had been in her way. Tony stared after her.

"Damn..."

"DUDE!" James punched him in the arm and brought him back to reality, "Quit gawking and lets get to class! We have like five minutes!"

"...But."

"Good lord man, you act like you have never seen a woman before," His roommate laughed. Tony looked over his shoulder as his roommate grabbed him by the arm and tugged him along. She was out sight now.

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay! I am finally getting my life together and actually working on this!


	4. Walk me to class?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guys! Guys! Guys! LOOOOOK!!!! I worked on it!!!!

“See you back at the room!”  Tony called over his shoulder as he walked away from James. James watched his strange new friend strut down the hallway with the demeanor of someone much larger than he. James couldn’t help but chuckle a little; they had hardly known each other 24 hours, and he was already finding that he was getting very attached to small roommate.

“I thought you were going to quit adopting small children when you were done with high school,” James jumped and spun around to see Carol leaning against  the wall a few feet away, arms crossed over her chest, amusement written all over face. A smile slipped across his face and he sidled up to his girl friend, who rose to her full height to meet him.

“And I thought you said you weren’t going to meet me after class on the first day,” James smiled down at her and wrapped his arms around her.

“Maybe I changed my mind,” Carol said with an air of mystery and tucked her arms around him in return.

“Then maybe so did I,” James leaned down and she rose onto her toes. Their lips met in the middle.

“Well I get kiss out of changing my mind, what are you going to get?” Carol mumbled as they pulled away.

James shrugged, “Don’t know yet.”

“Well then this will be exciting won’t it?” Carol smiled.

“Yes it will,” James looked deep into her blue eyes. She slid one of her small hands into his, "Walk me to class?"

"Of course. That is why I snuck onto on to campus."

"Thank you dear, I don't know what I would do with out you.

"Shrivel up and die?"

James snorted, "Probably."

“So what’s your roommate like?” Carol asked as the exited the building.

“He almost walked out of the room without his pants on this morning.”

“No!” Carol laughed.

“I am dead serious!” James replied, “I almost let him do it to!”

“James, oh my gosh,” Carol laughed, “You totally should have!”

“Nah, it was his first day. We made a bet though,” James shrugged. It would have been a little funny, but he wasn’t in the business of humiliating some poor freshman.

“Oh, what kind of bet?”

“We keep a tally through out the year of who does the most embarrassing things, and at the end who ever has the most has to do something super embarrassing of the person’s design.”

“I am assuming you think he is going to lose?”

“You bet,” James confirmed. There was no way he was going to win.

“I am rooting for your roommate,” Carol replied in flatly.

“Why?!” James cried in dismay.

“Because I want to see you do something really stupid,” Carol laughed.

“Gee thanks,” James snarked.

“I still love you, goof,” Carol rose to her tippy toes and pecked his cheek with her lips.

James beamed.

“You know I am going to miss walking you to class,” Carol bumped James with her shoulder.

James couldn’t help but sigh. He knew that she wasn’t flying combat (which he knew she was more than qualified to do) but he was still concerned for her. He would be concerned for anyone. Hell, he was going to be concerned for himself when he graduated flight school in the summer. Jets were dangerous no matter who was flying them.

“You’ll do great you know?”

“I do know that,” Carol responded with her lovely confidence.

“Good, and don’t ever let anyone tell you differently.”

“You know I won’t.”

James smiled. He knew no one would ever be able to keep her tied down. He loved that about her.

“Don’t worry about me James.”

James shrugged, “I won’t.”

“We both know that’s a lie.”

“Yeah didn’t really think I could get that one past you,” James admitted, “But hey! You aren’t going to be leaving for Mississippi until January, so let’s enjoy what time we have.”

“Of course."

James leaned down and kissed the top of her head; he was met with her turning around and planting another kiss on his lips.

She would be fine.

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: IDK how college works lol. I could be getting this all wrong... I am trying to research as I go long, but it is very tedious.


End file.
